Monday, January 12, 2015

You know you have too many ornj cats when...

...you have trouble telling them apart in photos!


That's Emerson on the left, and Honey on the right.


Emerson was leading the way back to the barn. He is now a part-time barn cat. He spends his days out there with the barn crew and he is a mighty hunter.

Last Friday, right before my eyes, he took out a rat. We've hardly seen any rats since dealing with them this summer, and particularly since we got the barn cats. But this one was snoozing under the metal pan in the cage Lenny the blind duck sleeps in. I saw it when I removed the pan to clean it, and it didn't take off, so I gently deposited Emerson in the cage, and before I even got out of the coop, he caught it and ran past me with it in his jaws. Then when I was cleaning out the ponies, I heard ominous crunching next to me (eeeyuw.) Emerson ate the whole thing, apart from one internal organ no cats seem to like. Poor rat, but we just can't have them in the barn.

Emerson later came in and fell asleep on my yoga mat as I was doing savasana...



Note the distended, rat-filled belly. Eeyuw! More deworming on the menu.

Meanwhile, back to today...

Honey, who came from Greece in November with her siblings Buttercup and Daisy, has adapted incredibly well to winter!


She's a big cuddle-bunny!


Pip is intrepid too, but she's a native Canadian.

And this isn't as serious as it looks...



Emerson decided to jump on Pip, who wasn't impressed. But no blood was shed!


Honey checked out my snowshoes, then expressed her desire to be inside lying next to a warm fire.



But I told her, "Sorry, I'm going snowshoeing!"



And then Emerson came back from exploring with Buttercup!




And Buttercup followed Emerson towards the house!



Meanwhile, some selfies with sweet Honey...




More kitty pics coming! We got a bit of snow today but it was a nice day to be outside, as the temperature wasn't too cold, just hovering around the freezing mark. It's supposed to drop tonight with nasty windchills. Stay warm out there!






23 comments:

  1. Honey is easier to spot because she looks more like a buff colour. They sure are a gorgeous bunch.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wonderful photos . Pretty kitties every where lol ! Your house looks similar to ours minus the red doors lol I got to get me some snow shoes makes it a bit easier as I am the outdoorsy type and love to walk in the snow in all that fresh crisp air ! Thanks for sharing . Have a good day .

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just lovin' all these kitty pics! They all look so healthy and happy. Do you let any of the other barn cats (besides Emerson) inside?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Emerson was supposed to be an completely-inside cat, but it went to hell in a handbasket! He goes out in the day now but comes in when he pleases. Honey spent some time in the house today too, but ssssshhhh!!! We have six official inside cats (including Emerson) and seven barn kitties. Everybody is locked inside (house or barn) at supper time!

      Delete
  4. How do you know you have them all put away for the night. Or, is Emerson in charge?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I look at them very very very very carefully! :) And do a double head-count!

      Delete
  5. I have five cats in my house, but only one goes outdoors. She has been very reluctant to go out in the snow this winter though. On the occasional very warm day she will go out and sit on the porch for a short while, but she's not long wanting to come in again.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love to see all the ornjy goodness at your house! Obviously the cold weather doesn't deter your crowd from playing outside. What FUN to see 'em all in action.

    Oh, and I know that skull-crunching sound...all too well...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Pip looks just like out Freddie, but then all Tabbies look like Freddie; and Pip.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Natalie! You're so lucky to have such good rat hunters!! This winter we have rats too but luckily they're pretty much surrounded so I see a lot of "gifts" strewn around for me :-) It's beautiful to see how well all your cats get along and I can see Honey is one happy bunny lapping up your attention and selfies, LOVE!! Xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh, and Emerson on your yoga mat after the rat kill... there's a word in my native language for that "selv-fed" (don't think you'll find it in a dictionary). Something a long the lines of thinking he's a mighty cool and highly skilled cat ;-) "Selv-fed" has the connotation of thinking you're way cool even if no one else thinks you are ;-D

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ha! Had to look it up and it is indeed in the dictionary!! Selvfed:
    En som opfatter sig selv som smart, god, dygtig el.lign.
    Someone who perceives themselves as smart, good, clever or the likes :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do admit, I like that term.. but interestingly enough my brain is pronouncing it self-fed - which considering what just happened in this post makes a bit of sense why I am reading it that way

      Delete
  11. Snow is getting deeper... eek.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I think I would definitely prefer an assortment of cat colors. Different colored collars would help to tell the cats apart. Since they are outside you may prefer they not have collars, though. (We know the kitties probably prefer no collars, too ;-)

    We have predictions to be into the 50's in a couple days. I hope the weathermen are correct!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Our cats hardly go out on the terrace if temps drop below 15C! Yours have all become sturdy Canadians.

    ReplyDelete
  14. okay, I've got to ask.. which organ was left behind?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous4:37 pm

      I bet it was the gall bladder. Our cats used to leave that one uneaten in the critters they caught. I had to chuckle at the mention of "crunching" because we used to have a mini-Dachshund who once found a newly deceased baby bird (all feathered out) and it was down the hatch in the blink of an eye. I waited to see what would eventually come out the other end, but...nothing! He was a very good digester, that boy. :)

      Delete
  15. They are all beauties. I love the snowshoeing kitty. I wish we would get enough snow to go snowshoeing

    ReplyDelete
  16. Aw, we love the ornj cats. :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. What incredibly beautiful photos!!! The kitties are all thriving and look sooo healthy (knock on wood!) I have to agree about the rats (ewww!)

    ReplyDelete
  18. New reader here. Just had to comment on the sweet dog photobombing the cat on the yoga mat. He/she looks so sad to be on the other side of that door.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!